After taking down France in what felt like a generation defining game, Team USA has now won five straight Olympic gold medals, and is once again on top of the international basketball world. While the road to gold seems to get tougher every four years, the Americans continue to be the standard, and don’t plan on changing that anytime soon.
This year’s roster, touted as the best since the 1992 Dream Team, brought together the three biggest stars of the last 20 years surrounded by a combination of youth, defensive-minded role players, and proven champions. Let’s break down each member of the 2024 Olympic gold medal squad, and grade their performance:
Bam Adebayo: B
Stats: 16.1 MPG – 6.0 PPG – 3.7 RPG – 1.3 APG – 53.3 FG%
Adebayo had a fairly quiet, yet effective showing in his second Olympics for Team USA. He was able to find his way on the court quite a bit during group stage and the quarterfinal round, but got mostly phased out of the rotation in the last two games. However, Bam was able to make an impact in his usual ways- playing energetic, disruptive defense while being active on the offensive end without needing to score. It was another steady Olympic performance for the now two-time gold medalist.
Devin Booker: A
Stats: 22.0 MPG – 11.7 PPG – 3.3 APG – 2.7 RPG – 57.1 FG%
Stephen Curry: A-
Stats: 23.3 MPG – 14.8 PPG – 3.2 RPG – 2.5 APG – 47.8 3P%
It’s now about how you start, it’s about how you finish, right? Steph Curry sure thinks so.
To put it kindly, Steph got off to a slow start in these Olympic games. He only managed to knock down five of his first twenty attempts from long range, and struggled to make an impact elsewhere. The idea of Steve Kerr having to keep Curry out of the closing lineup in the final two games was on the verge of becoming a reality. But then, in true Steph Curry fashion, he broke out of his slump faster than you can blink an eye, unleashing an avalanche of his improbable three-pointers on what felt like the entire country of Serbia. Curry’s brilliance helped Team USA overcome a 17-point deficit, keeping their gold medal hopes alive. Steph’s heater continued into the gold medal game where he put on a fourth-quarter shot-making display that put the entire country on it’s feet, while simultaneously ripping the hearts out of the host country, France. It’s no exaggeration to say that the U.S. needed every one of Curry’s 17 threes over the final two games, and would not be biting their gold medal’s without his elimination game heroics.
Anthony Davis: B+
Stats: 16.6 MPG – 8.3 PPG – 6.7 RPG – 2.0 APG – 62.5 FG%
While I expected Davis to see the court a bit more than he did, his minutes were productive, especially in the final against France. AD registered nine rebounds and four blocks and in the gold medal game, putting in work against a formidable French frontcourt. He made a multitude of timely plays that kept the USA afloat in the second half. Davis was never going to be relied on as a scorer in these games, and filled his role as a rim protector, rebounder, and physical presence.
Kevin Durant: A-
Stats: 22.2 MPG – 13.8 PPG – 3.2 RPG – 2.3 APG – 54.0 FG%
After sitting out the entirety of Team USA’s exhibition schedule, KD’s fourth Olympic appearance got off to a roaring start as he scored 23 points on 8/9 shooting in the opening game against Serbia. While he wasn’t able to replicate that level of hot shooting throughout the rest of the tournament, Durant still did his thing, scoring in double-figures in five of six games. The team undoubtedly looked better, and more comfortable with Durant in the rotation, a testament to his calm personality and all-time scoring chops.
Anthony Edwards: B
Stats: 16.3 MPG – 12.8 PPG – 2.8 RPG – 1.2 APG – 58.0 FG%
ANT’s Olympic debut got off to a scorching hot start as he led Team USA in scoring through four games. The self-proclaimed “first-option” was living up to his title, averaging nearly 17 points per game. Edwards played just 23 total minutes in the semi-final and final, managing to score just ten points. Despite the decreased stats, I still think Edwards played well against France, hitting some tough shots in the first half while playing some stifling on-ball defense. It was a solid Olympics for the first-timer, and he will absolutely be a focal point of teams moving forward.
Joel Embiid: B
Stats: 16.8 MPG – 11.2 PPG – 3.8 RPG – 1.4 APG – 56.8 FG%
After struggling mightily in Team USA’s exhibition games, Joel Embiid was able to find his rhythm in the Olympics, finishing as the fifth leading scorer for the Americans. Embiid, playing with Team USA for the first time, was benched for the group play game against South Sudan, but proceeded to average 16 points per game over the next three, including a massive 19-point performance against Serbia which included several clutch fourth-quarter buckets. Overall, Embiid’s Team USA debut was probably a bit lackluster, but his contributions in the semi-final comeback against Serbia were enough to make up for it.
Tyrese Haliburton: C
Stats: 8.8 MPG – 2.7 PPG
Tyrese Haliburton was always going to be one of the odd men out in this rotation. He only found his way onto the court for 26 total minutes in these Olympics, putting up 8 points. Regardless of his lack of playing time, Haliburton was clearly a good presence on the team and will use this experience to find his way onto more Olympic squads in the future. He also had the best tweet of the Olympics, which has to count for something:
Jrue Holiday: A-
Stats: 18.8 MPG – 7.6 PPG – 3.6 APG – 1.8 RPG – 55.6 FG%
If there’s one thing Jrue Holiday knows how to do, it’s win basketball games. Just as we expected, Holiday provided Team USA with a steady hand in the backcourt, playing his usual exceptional defense while knocking down threes at a 50% clip. Jrue didn’t really have a signature moment or game in these Olympics, but that’s how he likes to do it. He’s perfectly content with making one winning play after another, and collecting his gold medal at the end.
LeBron James: A
Stats: 24.5 MPG – 14.2 PPG – 8.5 APG – 6.8 RPG – 66.0 FG%
LeBron James is 39 years old.
You’ve probably heard it a few times this summer, but it’s worth repeating. LeBron led the squad in rebounds and assists, while being second in points. He recorded a triple-double against Serbia in the semi-finals, and won MVP on the way to his third Olympic gold medal. There aren’t many words that can accurately describe what LeBron is doing, and it might even be disrespectful to try. He clearly relished the opportunity to be the leader of this team alongside Curry and Durant, and was never leaving Paris without the gold. Watching LeBron go out on top in his last Olympics was a treat for all American basketball fans.
Jayson Tatum: C
Stats: 17.7 MPG – 5.3 PPG – 5.3 RPG – 1.5 APG – 38.1 FG%
It’s rare that a team’s tenth leading scorer garners as much attention as Tatum did throughout this Olympic run. Steve Kerr decided to bench him for the entirety of both Serbia games, stirring up some controversy amongst fans and media. Kerr claimed it was simply “a math problem”, suggesting there weren’t enough minutes to go around, and Tatum was the victim. He played a healthy amount in the four games where he found his way off the bench, but was never able to find a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. The Celtics star struggled with his shot, producing some ugly misses and threatening the spacing Team USA desperately wants to play with. Tatum was still able to contribute on the defensive end of the floor and managed to finish third on the team in rebounding. It certainly was an uneven Olympics for Tatum, who is now a 2x gold medalist.
Derrick White: A-
Stats: 15.8 MPG – 3.8 PPG – 1.4 RPG – 1.6 APG – 41.2 FG%
White was a late addition to the team, joining after Kawhi Leonard’s withdrawal just weeks before Team USA’s departure for Paris. I wouldn’t have been shocked if White never really saw the floor in this tournament, but to my surprise and his enjoyment, the NBA champion played meaningful minutes in every game except the final. Derrick White played normal Derrick White basketball, hounding opposing guards while serving as a connector on offense. He racked up 7 steals and 5 blocks while failing to commit a turnover in any game. His three-ball wasn’t exactly great (30.8%), but you can’t ask for much more out of a “role player” added to the team a few weeks ago.
